Sidney arthur chase



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1, S.A.OHASE. FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH.

Patented June 4, 1889.,

(No Model.)

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. A. CHASE. FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH;

Patented Jun 4, 1889.

. Swank c,

NITEI) STATES PATE T OFFICE.

SIDNEY ARTHUR CHASE, OF EVART, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO \VILLIAM R. MAPES, OF SAME PLACE.

FIRE-ALARM TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,518, dated June 4, 1889.

Application filed May 24, 1888. Serial No. 274,892. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it nmyconcern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY ARTHUR CHASE, a citizen of the United States, residing atEvart, in the county of Osceola and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Alarm Telegraphs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fire-alarm telegraphs of that class in which a gong or alarm- 1 signal is located at the alarm-station, and outlying signal-boxes located at distant points are included in a main line running to said alarm-station through the gong or alarm and a battery located thereat; and its objects are, first, to devise a simple and cheap form of fire-alarm apparatus for use in villages where the more expensive non-interfering systems are not available; second, to devise a gong which shall indicate an alarm from any outlying box, and give the signal of such boX by vibratory impulse-signals, or will in like manner indicate that the line is broken at some point, and thereby warn the fire department of such break; third, to so arrange the vibra- 2 5 tory gong or bell circuit at the receiving-station that it may be easily caused to cease ringing after a permanent break has occurred in the main-line circuit, and in such way that the continuity of the main-line circuit will 3 not be affected and the gong left in such condition that its clapper will strike a single blow when the main line is restored to its normal or charged condition, thereby indicating that fact. I accomplish these objects by the apparatus hereinafter disclosed, but particularly pointed out in the claims which follow this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my improved system, show- 4 ing also the interiormechanism of the alarmsignal or gong and one of the signal-boxes. Fig. 2 is a modified form showing two gongs located at independent fire alarm stations. Fig. 3 is a modified form showing several gongs located at independent stations, with local batteries for operating each gong, any box being adapted to operate all of the gongs at the same time, the circuit-breakers in the boxes being of any desired type. Referring to Fig. 1, w is a main line earthed at E? through the last signal-box 3, and passing thence through all of the signal-boxes to the binding-post P of the gong G, located in the fire-alarm station. This post P is connected metallically with the frame of the bell, 5 5 and by a wire 20 through the magnet M and binding-post P, which is insulated from the frame or gong, thence by wire to and battery B to the binding-post P also insulated from the frame, and finally to earth by wire 10 The armature-leverA of magnets M carries a bell-clapper C and a contact spring S, adapted on its back-stroke to' contact with an adj ustable screw in the binding-post P which is also insulated from the frame. S S are two flat metallic springs, the former secured to the frame and in electric connection with the binding-post P but insulated from the frame, while the latter is secured in like manner to the frame and in electrical 7o connection with the adjustable contact-screw in the binding-postP and also insulated from the frame. The two springs are normally in contact with each other, as seen at H, Fig. 1, but adapted to be separated when an insulating-pin 19 (see Fig. 2) is inserted between them through a hole or perforation in the base of the'instrument. The two springs S Siwith the adjustable contact-screw and binding-post P contact-spring S, armature-coils of the electro-magnet, binding-post P, Wire 40 battery B, and binding-post P form a normally-open secondary local circuit or path for the current to flow through from the battery B when the main circuit is broken and the magnet demagnetized, thus allowing the armature to move back under the stress of the spring P, closing the normally-open contacts S Pfiwhich allows the current to flow through the magnet, energizing it and attracting the 0 armature, thereby breaking the secondary circuit. This making and breaking of the secondary circuit magnetizes and demagnetiz'es the electro-magnet that keeps up the vibrating motion, which may be stopped by in- 5 sorting the insulating-pin between the springs S S thus breaking the secondary circuit; but such action does not affect the main circuit, from the fact that the springs are between the making contact-points on the back ofthe armature and the main circuit. It will be noticed; that the peculiar construction or shape of the springs S S is such that they form a double connection when in contact in their normal position, thus doubling the certainty of a permanent electric connection. Each signal-box 1 2 3 has an independent earth-wire Z Z Z earthed, respectively, at E E E The main-wire circuit 11: enters these boxes, as shown in box 1, and passes to a eontact spring 00, which bears against a metallic projection on the end of the arm F, carried by the same axle as the crank C, said arm and axle being met-allically connected to the signalingdisk I), and the latter connected through the springV to the outlying main-line wire 2r.

i 15' are two normally-disconnected metallic contact-springs, the former of which is con- .nected metallically to the frame of the box and the latter insulated therefrom and connected to the earth-wire Z by a wire I. This spring 25 is held normally away from the spring 15 by the insulating-block N on the end of the arm F, so that when the mechanism in the signaling-box has run down under stress of its spring the main-line circuit is closed directly through the box, while the earth-circuit is open between the springs 15 25'.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: Suppose it to be in condition shown in Fig. 1, the circuit being closed through all of the boxes and the magnet M by way of the wire 10 w 20 10 earths E and E". This causes the magnet M to hold the armature in its forward position. Suppose, now, it is desired to send in a signal from box 1. Taking hold of the crank E and rotating it to the right, the arm F is carried to the left, thereby breaking the main circuit at the point between said arm and the spring 00, and afterward making an earthcircuit between the springs t and 15 through the signalingdisk I), spring V, and wire or, and alarm-gong magnet at the fire-alarm station. Upon releasing the arm E the disk I) rotates in the usual manner, sending in the signal by makes and breaks, the arm F ultimately coming back to its normal position, breaking the earth-circuit and making the main circuit the smile as at starting. By this operation, should any box lying beyond 1 have been actuated, the signal will not go in until that from box 1 has been completed. In the same manner, should box 3 first commence to transmit a signal and box 1 be cut in, the former will be shut out by the latter until its signal has gone in. It will thus be seen that there is no possibility of an absolute interference of the signals, although a portion of one signal sent may be cut out until an intervening box has transmitted its entire signal. It will be noticed that when the spring V is passing over any one of the breaks in the disk D the armature-lever A will vibrate and be actuated by a local circuit from the bat teryB through the springs S U so that the signal made up of successive sets of vibrating or buzzer signals, and should the main line by any accident become broken this vibratory bell or gong will continue to ring until it is stopped by inserting the pin I be tween the springs S and S as shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement gives me a secure and certain alarm against any permanent breakage of the main circuit. Should the maineircuit thus become broken, the attendant inserts the plug P, and the arm atureA remains on its back-stop until the continuity of the main line is restored, when the armature will be drawn up and by a single tap announce that fact. By the breaking of the local circuit the main circuit is not affected, and should the attendant at the alarm-station neglect to remove the pin P" from between the contact-springs S until a signal. or alarm has been transmitted the gong will be operated by the battery I; on the single-stroke principle.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the boxes are of any ordinary well-known form, with the usual circuit-breaking disks or keys located therein, the arrangement being such that when the circuit is broken in any of said boxes the bells at both stations will ring by virtue of the local action of the respective batteries located at such stations.

B and 13 are main-line batteries adapted to operate both of the gongs G upon the single-tapprinciple when the plugs l are inserted in the holes II at both stations. \Vhen, however, the circuit-closing springs S are in contactand the main circuit is broken at any of the boxes, both. of the gongs will operate on the trembler principle through the agency of batteries 3 and B, respectively.

In Fig. 3 I have shown an arrangement in which the central-stat ion gong G is actuated on the singletap principle whenever the circuit is broken at any of the boxes 1 2 3, and the other gongs at outlying stations are all actuated on the trembler principle by their individual batteries ll B B, the operation being the same as that of the trembler-gongs already described.

Of course it will be understood that the modified forms shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are in no sense non interfering, but are merely shown to disclose the operation of my improved jt'orln of trembler-gong on any circuit.

I am aware that it is old in the art to pro vide a fire-alarm system with normally-open local earth-circuits, any one of which may be closed through the signal apparatus on oper ating it, thereby cutting otl' any box which lies beyond it; but with all such systems, so

.far as I am aware, said local ground or earth is connected to the main circuit at a point between it and the more distant boxes. My system has the especial advantage over such a system in that it prevents any possible false signal after the operator has started to turn the alarm in.

In the system referred to the normally-open earth-circuit is simply connected to the normally-open main or signaling line at the box sending the signal, and this earth is made and broken by the transmitting-wheel, the main fault is entirely avoided bybreakin g the main line between the signaling-box and all outlying boxes at the instant the signal-wheel is turned, so that said boxes cannot possibly atfect thereceiver until the first signal has gone in and the main line again been made intact at the signaling-box in operation.

Of course it will be understood that I may use a return-Wire circuits .2, instead of earthcircuits, as shown in dotted lines in all of the figures, in which event the earth-wires Z Z Z Fig. 1, will be connected between the wires 10 and z.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a fire-alarm system, a trembler-bell having an electro-magnet included in the main-line circuit, the armature of which carries a contact-spring adapted to contact with a circuit-closer on its back contact, in combination with two circuitclosing springs connecting such back contact with the battery through a local circuit, said circuit-closing springs being provided with a plug for separating them electrically, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a fire-alarm or signal system, a normally-closed conductor earthed at each end, one or more outlying signal or alarm stations having signaling mechanism, a vibratory electro-magnetic bell and battery located at the fire-alarm station, both connected directly in the main circuit with double circuit-connections, and a secondary circuit having a normally-closed contact between the back contact of the armature and the main circuit provided with an insulating-pin for electrically disconnecting the normally-closed contacts, whereby when a signal is transmitted the current generated from the main battery flows over the secondary circuit and vibratory impulse-signals are received, and when the main line is broken the normally-closed contacts may be opened electrically, substantially as described.

3. In a fire-alarm or analogous system, a vibratory electro-magnetic bell having an electro-magnet, the coils of which are connected in a closed main-line circuit, the armature having a contact-spring adapted to contact with a circuit-closer on its back contact, in combination with two contact-springs located between the back contact of the armature of the electro-magnet and the main circuit connecting the back contact electrically with the main battery through a secondary circuit, said contact-springs being provided with an insulating-pin for separating them, substantially as described.

4:. In a fire-alarm system, a trembler-bell having an electro-magn et with double circuitconnections, the coils of the electro-magnet being included in the main-line circuit, the armature of the electro-magnet carrying a contact-spring adapted to contact with a circuit-closer on its back contact in electrical connection with two normally-closed contactsprings connecting the back contact with the battery, including the coils of the electromagnet through a secondary circuit, said contact-springs being provided with an insulating-pin for separating them electrically, substantially as described.

5.. In a fire-alarm system, the combination of two electro-magnetic vibrating gongs connected in a normally-closed main circuit, said gongs having double circuit-connections and a secondary circuit including electro-magnet, armature, and poles of a divided main-line battery, the secondary circuits having normally-closed contacts between the back contact of the armature and main circuit provided with an insulating-pin for electrically disconnecting the normally-closed contacts electrically, substantially as described.

SIDNEY ARTHUR CHASE.

Witnesses:

FELIXYR. SULLIVAN, JAMES C. G. UNDUCH. 

